Brockton Behavioral Health Center
Boston Medical Center
Completed: 2022
Brockton, MA
2023 Boston Society of Architects - Social Impact Advancement Commendation Award Recipient
Engineering News Record 2023 New England Best Projects- Best Project Healthcare
The redevelopment of a former nursing home for Boston Medical Center allows for the development of 56 locked inpatient behavioral and 26 clinical stabilization services beds. Direct access to the outdoor courtyard, including walking paths, sheltered areas, gardens, event and exercise spaces, creates ample opportunities for healthy interaction and physical activities. Thoughtfully-placed quiet lounges offer spaces of calm, relaxation, and agency. Multi-purpose rooms are present throughout the facility, making the space highly adaptable for a variety of functions. The hospital’s location in the demographically diverse city of Brockton represents a meaningful step forward in addressing mental health treatment disparities among a variety of populations.
In addition to representing a significant increase in the availability of these much-needed psychiatric resources, this project was designed to minimize its environmental impact. The combination of the adaptive reuse and net-zero build results in a sustainability-driven facility. This project makes use of the existing building structure, which significantly saves on new steel and concrete while reducing the impact on landfills. The entire envelope was upgraded with a new façade and skin, designed to exceed energy codes and create a tight enclosure following passive-building standards. The installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof and parking lot canopy, along with 80 geothermal wells contribute to the goal of producing enough energy on site to meet net-zero readiness. This project is currently 53 EUI.
